More NI prison officers' homes attacked

The campaign of intimidation against prison officers in Northern Ireland by loyalist paramilitaries continued today with attacks on two more homes.

Overnight petrol bomb attacks in Co Antrim were being investigated by police.

Security sources said one of the houses belonged to a prison officer but that the other was the former home of a prison officer who had moved away.

The first house was targeted in Carnmoney followed swiftly by one in the Ballyduff area of Newtownabbey. In both cases cars parked outside the houses were set on fire.

They were the latest in a series of attacks on the homes of prison officers in recent weeks which have been blamed on loyalist paramilitaries and linked to ongoing disputes in the high security Maghaberry Prison in Co Antrim.

Loyalist and republican inmates are currently being separated following violent clashes and a dissident republican “dirty protest”.